BR112017026493B1 - PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FILLED AND CLOSED CONTAINER, ESPECIALLY ACCORDING TO THE BLOW MOLDING, FILLING AND CLOSING PROCESS AND DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR CARRYING OUT THIS PROCESS - Google Patents

Abstract

PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A FILLED AND CLOSED CONTAINER, AS WELL AS A DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROCESS AND A CONTAINER PRODUCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS PROCESS. The present invention relates to a process for producing a filled and closed container, especially according to the blow molding, filling and closing process, in which an initially open container part (52) is held in a mold (46), is filled with media (74, 76) of different type, especially different viscosity, blow molded and/or vacuum molded by means of a blow punch, through its container part opening (54) oriented upwards, by means of dosage units (12, 14) in sequence, in such a way that in the container part (52) the introduced means (74, 76) are separated from each other, and then, with the closing the head mold halves (56, 58) of the molding tool (46), a container head portion (60) is formed and the container portion (52) is closed, thereby forming the container.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a process for producing a filled and closed container, especially according to the blow molding, filling and closing process.

[0002] Processes for blow molding, aseptic filling and hermetic sealing in one machine find application especially in the pharmaceutical field, but also in refrigerant and technical-chemical products. In the process patented by the firm Kocher-plastic and introduced worldwide by Firma rommelag, which became known by the brand name "bottelpack®", a hose is extruded and received by the open blow mold, in a first work step analogous to molding by conventional extrusion-blow. The main part of the blow mold closes and welds the bottom of the container. In the neck region, a specially shaped blow molding filling unit is employed, which seals the container region itself from the yet unformed neck region. Through this blow punch the container itself is filled with sterile air. Small containers, such as eye drops dosing ampoules, are vacuum molded. The part of the hose that remains outside becomes hot and soft, plastically deformable, during this process. In the next step, the filling material is loaded into the container through a filling punch. After the blow molding filling unit is removed, the head jaw of the molding tool closes and seals the container hermetically. At the same time, the desired head or closure contour is vacuum molded. With the opening of the blow mold, the ready, filled container leaves the blow mold, and the next production cycle begins. The entire process preferably takes place under aseptic conditions (noble steel, blowing air and sterile washing, etc.), so that international standards (eg cGMP, FDA) for aseptic packaging are observed. ("Blasformen von Kunststoff-Hohlkorpem!; Michael Thielen, Klaus Hartwig and Peter Gust; Hanser-Verlag 2006).

[0003] A dual chamber ampoule produced according to this process is known from EP 1799557 B1. The vial-shaped container consists of an elastically flexible synthetic material with a metering chamber, in which a single means is provided as part of the filled container, one end of the metering chamber having a delivery opening and the opposite end being connected to a pressure-sealed container head part, through a connection point, in which a gaseous expulsion means, especially in the form of air, is located, whereby, upon compression of the container head part, the expulsion means at least partially expels the medium to be delivered from the dosing chamber through the outwardly released delivery opening for application to a patient or the like. Said connection point between the dosing chamber and a container head part is formed from a narrow point which is configured in such a way that a capillary effect arises, which prevents an exit of the medium to be delivered from the dispensing chamber. dosing to the head part of the container with an expulsion means in each case, irrespective of the position of the container in the space.

[0004] Furthermore, in DE 4420594 C2 it has already been proposed to employ in the dosing chamber, between the stored delivery means and the narrow point where the container head part abuts upwards with the received expelling agent, a means closure in the form of a separating plunger, which moves towards the released delivery opening of the container and thus helps to facilitate the delivery of the contents of the container again in the form of a single delivery means, so that, through pressure with By hand, the air in the container head part is expelled towards the dosing chamber through the narrow point and then carries the separating plunger with it into the delivery process.

[0005] Document DE 102014210234A1 describes a device for filling a container, in which at least two metering units of media to be filled into a part of the container through its free opening are each fixed on a displacement unit.

[0006] Document DE102014210234A1 also describes a method using the apparatus to produce a filled and closed container, in particular according to the blow, fill and close method, in which an initially open container part, which is held in a blow molding and/or vacuum molded tool by means of a blow mandrel, is filled through its free opening of the container part, which is aligned upwards, the free opening and oriented upwards of the container part by means of of dosing units in succession with media of different types, in particular viscosity, a container head part is then formed by closing the mold halves of the molding tool head and the container part is closed to form the container, whereby each means to be introduced into the container part is provided with its own dosing unit which can be assigned thereto.

[0007] A container manufacturing system is also disclosed in DE102012104267A1. According to that document, an apparatus for producing plastic containers for liquids with a transport device that transports the plastic containers along a predetermined transport path, with a forming device that forms plastic preforms in the plastic containers, with a first filling device arranged along the transport path after the forming device, which fills the plastic containers with a liquid and with a cooling device which is arranged between the former and the first filling device and which cools at least one region of the wall of plastic containers, being driven by a fluent medium. According to that document, the cooling device comprises a second filling device that fills a liquid into the container, the liquid of which serves to cool a lower region of the plastic container.

[0008] Starting from the state of the art, the aim of the invention is to improve the known and proven technical solutions in order to create a wider field of application for the BFS technology.

[0009] This objective is achieved through a process with the characteristics of the invention in its entirety, as well as through a device with its characteristics and a container with its configuration.

[00010] According to the process of the invention, it is provided that an initially open container part, held in a molding tool, blow molded and/or vacuum molded, is sequentially filled with media of different types in sequence, for by means of a blow punch, through its opening of the container part aligned upwards, by means of dosage units, especially of different viscosities, in such a way that in the container part the means placed therein are separated from one another, and then, with the closing of the head mold halves of the molding tool, a container head part is molded and the container part is closed, thereby forming the container. In this way, during only one filling process, at least two different substances can be placed in only one container, whereby, with the container closed, the differently placed means remain separate from each other. It has proved especially advantageous to employ, as the means to be placed, ointment-like, viscous products of high viscosity, such as creams and gels, and to place these in superimposed layers in the container, the separation being maintained with the container closed.

[00011] Since, for the process according to the invention, ointments with different viscosities are used as means of supply, a compact filling of the ointment is desired, possibly without inclusion of air inside the container, since, due to the absence of air inclusions, the post-removal function of the produced container applicator is not impaired. After the first layer or the first medium is placed in the container part, there can be no mixing with the next superimposed layer of media, which is contributed by the fact that the medium to be placed next is not placed in the container with strong jet. In this way, a separating layer can be generated between the ointments, as far as possible as a flat face, and also without the formation of a crater, which could favor the mixing of the layers of media in the container.

[00012] Especially preferably, only two means are placed in the container to be molded; but there is the possibility of placing more than two means separated from each other in the container to be closed. Also the application need not be limited to high viscosity media and products; instead, high-viscosity means can also be provided with low-viscosity means for separate filling of the container. Basically all types of media that can be separated in themselves and especially by their viscosity are suitable for the filling process with the process according to the invention. Fundamentally, all types of fluids are considered, according to the case of application, as well as porous substances and powders and particles. Thus, within the scope of the process of the invention, a high viscosity ointment with a pasty medicinal powder can be received on a separating layer in the container, separated from each other in the container.

[00013] In the device according to the invention for preferably carrying out said process, depending on the number of means to be placed in the container, there is an independent dosage unit associated with each means. In particular, the device of the invention has at least two dosage units for delivery means to be placed in the container part through its free opening, each dosage unit being fixed to a displacement unit, which displaces the respective unit of dosing from a starting position to a delivery position via the opening of the container part and then back to the starting position, by means of at least one drive means, at least partially via an inclined guide.

[00014] Object of the invention is also a container which is specially produced according to the process described below, with a device also to be explained below and which is characterized in that, in its closed container part, at least two means are received in an overlapping arrangement and separated from each other, the separation of means being maintained also once the connection of the means as a whole is eliminated or removed for an application in the same sequence as they were placed in the container part.

[00015] In the following, the solution according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In principle and in scale-free representation, they are shown:

[00016] Figures 1 and 2 - in side view and in top view, the production device for carrying out the production process according to the invention in a basic configuration;

[00017] Figures 3 to 5 - a representation corresponding to figure 1 in different production positions; and

[00018] Figure 6 - a container produced with the device according to figures 1 to 5.

[00019] The production device shown in lateral representation in figure 1 is intended for feeding two different media in the form of an ointment, which must be distinguished from one another by their viscosity. A dosage unit 10 is provided for feeding one ointment and a dosage unit 12 for the other ointment. The respective dosage unit 10, 12 has a similarly constructed punch 14 on its underside. As the machine device for moving the dosing unit 10, as well as the dosing unit 12, is basically constructed in the same way, initially the drive device for the dosing unit 10 is explained in detail, with figure 2 representing a top view of the production device according to figure 1.

[00020] On the machine table 16 of a blow molding, filling and sealing machine not shown in detail, an upright base support 19 is arranged, which, as shown in figure 2, is substantially configured with wall parts arranged U-shaped, seen in cross section or top view. On the opposite parallel walls of the base support 18, a slide guide 20 is installed, which, as shown in figure 1, initially has an inclined guide 22 at the top, which, in its lower part, makes a transition to a piece of guide 24 extended vertically, in the form of a rail. A dummy extension of the inclined guide 22 forms, with the upper side of the machine table 16, an included angle of about 65 degrees of inclination. Furthermore, more or less in the center inside the base support 18, a drive spindle is driven, which is driven by a gear 28, for example in the form of a belt drive which, in turn, is driven by a electric motor 30. Instead of said belt drive, there may also be a sprocket gear or the like for gear 28.

[00021] As can still be seen in figures 1 and 2, two guide bars 32 are arranged inside the U-shaped base support 18 and also, in a vertical arrangement, parallel to the bar-shaped drive spindle 26, along along which, in the manner of a machine support, a console 34 is displaceably guided, which, with a driving nut 36, covers the spindle drive spindle drive 26 with its mechanisms. If the electric motor 30 drives the console 34 as a support through the drive spindle 26, it can move from the upper position, shown downwards, looking towards Figure 1. In the direction of view of Figure 1, on the underside of the console 34 there is arranged a displacement unit 38, which is guided through a horizontal guide 40, displaceable in a horizontal direction on the console 34 below it. Furthermore, the displacement unit 38 has two guide ribs 42 projecting backwards, which carry a respective guide roller 44 projecting towards the base support 18 and which engages in the respective associated slide guide 20. Furthermore, the dosing unit 10 is arranged on the underside of the console 34 with its two guide ribs 42 extending above, through the intermediate displacement unit 38.

[00022] If the console 34 moves downwards after the activation of the electric motor 30 together with the gear 28 and the drive spindle 26, in the direction of view of figure 1, it takes with it the displacement unit 38 in this movement, being that, due to the slide guide 20, in which the guide rollers 44 of the displacement unit 38 engage, these simultaneously undergo a horizontal movement towards the end of the inclined guide 22, where the displacement unit 38, in turn, is moved only in a vertical direction along the two vertically extending guide pieces 24. As the representation according to figure 3 shows in particular, the guide rollers 44 of the displacement unit 38 reach a lower position with the end of the respective guide piece 24 extended vertically from the slide guide 20, in the fully external delivery position. . In this position, the guide ribs 42 of the displacement unit 38 inside the horizontal guide 40 of the console 34 are in their fully external position, and the dosing unit 10, according to the representation in Figure 3, is located above the dispensing tool. molding 46 for a container as shown in figure 6.

[00023] The movement mechanism described above is also carried out correspondingly for the other dosing unit 12. While figure 1 shows the starting state for both dosing units 10, 12, figure 3 refers to the process of lowering and dosing for a first ointment to be delivered with predeterminable viscosity, the dosage unit 12 with the other ointment is still in the starting position. In the representation according to figure 4, the dosage unit 10 is in the starting or base position and the dosage unit 12 is in the lowered, delivery position, for dispensing the other ointment into the container.

[00024] The molding tool 46 shown in Figures 3 to 5 consists of two molding part halves 48, 50 which, when joined, confine a mold cavity for blow molding a container part 52 of material synthetic material, which has an upwardly oriented receiving opening 54. Above that opening 54 of the container part 52 the respective filling punch 14 of the dosage units 10, 12 for a delivery of medium can engage inside the container part 52. Furthermore, the molding tool 46 has, on its side top, of corresponding head mold halves 56, 58 (compare Figure 3), which, when joined, form the container part 60 (compare Figure 6) of the container, once the respective punch 14 is driven towards outside the complete mold 46 with its free-opening cross-sections, which the representation according to figure 5 shows. However, it is preferred to provide that, before closing the head mold halves 56, 58 on the upper side of the layered ointments, a ball or sphere 64 is placed above a vacuum gripping device 62, which serves as a closing part for the introduced means or ointments.

[00025] While initially, with the dosage unit 10, the first ointment was introduced into the container part, then, through the dosage unit 12, the second ointment 76 was placed in the container part 52 in overlapping arrangement, and then the ointment 76 which was introduced last by means of the dosage unit 12 was provided as a closing part by means of the ball 64. As soon as the vacuum gripping device 62 for the ball 64 is again out of engagement with the molding tool 46 and their mold halves 48, 50, 56 and 58, the head mold halves 56, 58 can be joined together, with the opening 54 tapering to a narrow slit 66 as a capillary opening. Furthermore, with the closing of the head mold halves 56, 58, the container head part 60 is molded and the container is closed as a whole with its received means or ointments, in an airtight manner with respect to the environment.

[00026] Next, the container produced with the device according to the invention shown in figures 1 to 5 is explained in more detail with reference to its representation in figure 6, which refers to a ready-made container. The container shown in Figure 6 consists of a transparent, elastically flexible synthetic material, which, alone or together with other containers, in the manner of a composite of common cardboard containers (not shown) is produced by means of the device shown and explained, fillable and preferably sterile closable according to the representations of figures 1 to 5. The container has a tubular, cylindrical dosing chamber as part of container 52, which, at its end seen in the drawing, is closed by means of a closure. - handle 68, which has a notched theoretical breaking point 70, through which the handle lock 68 can be screwed in by hand, in order to release the delivery opening 72 at the lower end of the container part 52. 6, in the container part 52 at the very bottom, an ointment 74 is initially arranged, which is separated from another ointment 76 arranged at the very top by a face separator 75 extending horizontally, the aforementioned ball 64 resting on its upper side or upper face as a closing part. In the representation of Figure 6 it is clear that, when releasing the delivery opening 72 from the container, initially the ointment 74 and then the ointment 76 is delivered in sequence, however the ball 64 remains in the container part 52 of the container. By virtue of the downwardly tapering delivery opening 72, it can be inserted into openings in the body, such as a nasal opening or the like.

[00027] The opposite end of the container part 52 is connected to the container head part 60, which is compressible, through the connection point 66, where an especially gaseous expulsion means, in the present case in the form of air, is located. Upon pressing the container part 60 by hand, the expulsion means stored therein expels the respective ointment to be delivered out of the container part, with movement of the ball 64, through the delivery opening 72 for an application process. The connection point 66 between the container part 52 and the container head part 60 is configured from a narrow point in such a way that a capillary effect arises, which, irrespective of the position in the container space, prevents an exit of the respective means of delivering the container part 52 to the container head part 60 in each case. Likewise, the expulsion means cannot unintentionally reach towards the container part 52 with its ointments 74, 76, without compressing the container head part 60. What is not shown or explained in detail is that the ball 64 can be shaped to from the plate-shaped handle lock 68, for which the handle lock 68 originally has a spherical part (not shown) molded and arranged more or less centrally. The respective ball 64 can be removed from the knob lock 68 for a further process, once the container with the knob lock 68 still containing the ball 64 leaves the molding machine with the mold tool 64.

[00028] In the following, the process according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the device designed together with the container product. As already stated, the process for producing the filled and closed container refers to the blow molding, filling and closing process (BFS processes), in which an initially open container part 52 held in a molding tool 46 is filled. sequentially with means 74, 76, preferably of different viscosities, such that in the container part 52 the means 74, 76 placed therein are separated from each other, whereupon the container part 52 is closed with formation of the complete container . Basically means for placement in the container part 52 are preferably of high viscosity, such as ointment products.

[00029] Furthermore, for dosed delivery of the respective medium, especially in the form of ointment products 74, 76, a dosing of medium or ointment is used, whereby a compact, air-free filling has to be carried out at from the tube or filling punch 14 of the respective applicator in the form of dosage units 10, 12. Such volumetric medium dosage is shown, for example, in document DE 102008028772 A1, which relates to a device for filling containers with a device for feeding filling material to at least one dosing device in the form of dosing units 10, 12, which form a flow path in which a dosing valve is arranged open at least for the time period of dosing processes, for delivering metered amounts of the media material or other filler through at least one fill line into the receptacle in question. The known dosing device for volumetric dosing of medium has, in the flow path, downstream of the dosing valve, a device for optionally generating a suction effect in the flow path, whereby a control device is provided, which, irrespective of dosing processes completed by closing the dosing valve, activates the suction effect generating device for a dosed delivery process.

[00030] As the representation according to figure 3 especially shows, the filling punch 14 of the dosing unit 10 has to be positioned in the container part 52 with sufficient distance from the filling level that is adjusted later, and specifically in in relation to the product, does not, or eventually makes only a small displacement movement during filling. The required dosing pressure range here is determined with the aid of the medium or ointment product, specifically in relation to the product.

[00031] Compared to what has been described and as shown, by way of example, in Figure 4, the medium or ointment 76 is also introduced into the container part 52 of the ointment 74 by means of a volumetric ointment dosage, as shown above , through the dosing unit 12, both the dosing speed and the volumetric flow can be controlled. To avoid unwanted cratering or undesired mixing with the ointment 74 already introduced, filling takes place in a lower pressure range than filling with ointment 74. Through synchronization between controlled dosing speed and displacement movement of the filling punch 14 of the dosage unit 12, during filling, a compact dosage, preferably free of air blowing, can be carried out in the tube in the form of the container part 52. For converting the synchronization between the dosage speed and the movement displacement of the respective filling punch 14, the "plunger stroke" of the dosing unit 12, like the displacement movement of the filling punch 14 itself, is carried out by means of the servo drive already explained in the form of the electric motor 30, gear 28 and drive spindle 26 employing a control and regulation device (not shown).

[00032] Prior to the lowering stroke described above and the filling process, the dosing units 10, 12 must be placed in the mold 46 alternately vertically in the central position through the opening 54 of the container part 52 in the molding tool 46. This, in turn, is achieved through a synchronized movement of the horizontal and vertical axes using the slide guide 20 along a predetermined defined track movement. Based on the inclined guide 22 of the slide guide 20, an additional horizontal lateral stroke can be completely dispensed with, resulting in a reduction in travel times for the respective dosing units 10, 12 between their respective base and delivery positions. .

[00033] In principle, it would also be possible to move different dosage units with different delivery means through the opening 54 of the container part 52, by means of handling systems, such as robot arms. In this way more media can be synchronously introduced into the container part 52 in sequence. There is also the possibility of arranging the dosage units 10, 12 stationary and displacing the molding tool 46 with the container part 52 and its opening 54 kept free, always in time sequence, under the respective dosage unit 10, 12, the which would also be possible within the framework of a so-called carousel arrangement. It would also be possible that, with the machine arrangement according to figures 1 to 5, first an ointment 76 was introduced by means of the dosage unit 10, then an ointment 76 of another viscosity, with the dosage unit 12, together with pharmaceutical effect, and that again the ointment 74 was placed over the ointment 76 separately with the dosage unit 10, etc. [00034] Similar to the present construction with the so-called Bottelpack production machines, a machine device shown in figures 1 to 5 can be arranged on an already existing bridge of the machine above the closing unit, especially in the form of the molding tool 46 with its mold halves 48, 50, 56, 58, so that existing, delivered machine units can be retrofitted or retrofitted simply and cost-effectively.

Claims (9)

1. Process for producing a filled and closed container, especially according to the blow molding, filling and closing process, in which an initially open container part (52) held in a molding tool (46) is molded blown and/or vacuum molded by means of a blow pin, is sequentially filled with media (74, 76) of different types, especially different viscosity, through its free, upwardly oriented container part opening (54). , by means of dosage units (12, 14), then, with the closing of the head mold halves (56, 58) of the molding tool (46), a container head part (60) is formed and the container part (52) is closed, thus forming the container, each means (74, 76) to be introduced into the container part (52) being fed with a dosage unit (10, 12) of its own associated with it , characterized in that the container part (52) by means of a dosage unit at (12, 14) with filled means (74, 76) in such a way that in the container part (52) the filled means (74, 76) are separated from each other, which in the sequence of filling with the respective medium ( 74, 76), the assignable dosage units (10, 12) are displaced one after another through the opening (54) of the free container part (52) in such a way that the first dosage unit (10) is displaced from a starting position through the free opening (54) to a delivery position, the first means (74) is delivered through this free opening (54) and then guided back to the starting position, after which a second (12) dosage unit and any other dosage unit are moved from their starting position successively towards the opening of container part (54) to their delivery position for a May delivery process and returned to the starting position. 2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a medium (74) that is introduced into the container part (52) is a high viscosity product, such as ointment, cream or gel. 3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that another medium (76) introduced into the container part (52) is also chosen from high viscosity products, such as ointments, creams, gels. 4. Process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the container part (52) the respective means to be introduced (74, 76) are introduced in an overlapping arrangement in such a way that no mixing between adjacent means (74, 76) in that the separating layer (75) arising between adjacent boundary means (74, 76) is generated free of craters upon filling. Process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the respective medium (74, 76) is introduced into the container part (52) in predetermined amounts, preferably substantially free from inclusion of air by means of a volumetric dosing unit (10, 12). 6. Process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the displacement paths of the individual dosage units (10, 12) are chosen different from each other, which only assume a position of common delivery through the opening of a stationaryly disposed free container part (54) for a means delivery process. Process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that after the means (76) lastly delivered to the container part (52) by its dosing unit (12) a closing part, preferably in the form of a sphere (64) is placed, and then, with formation of a container head part (60), the container is closed with the introduced means (74, 76) and with the closing part (64). ) and removed from the production mold (46, 48, 50, 56, 58). Device, especially for carrying out a process as defined in claim 1, wherein two dosage units (10, 12) are fixed on a respective displacement unit (38) for respective delivery means (74, 76) to be introduced. in a container part (52) through its free opening (54), characterized in that the displacement unit (38) moves the respective dosing unit (10, 12) from a starting position to a delivery position through the opening of the container part (54) and back by means of a driving means (26, 28, 30) through an inclined guide (22) of a slide guide (20). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the respective inclined guide (22) extends as part of the slide guide (20) on a base support (18), which has a spindle drive (26). ), which displaces a console (34) in a vertical direction, in which the displacement unit (38) with the associated dosage unit (10, 12) is displaceable in a horizontal direction.

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